Public awareness session: ‘One hepatitis-related death happens every five minutes’

Around 4.25m are affected by HBV and 8.16m by HCV in Pakistan, says Dr Saeed Hamid

KARACHI: Pakistan has a presence of 2.5 per cent of hepatitis B and 4.8 per cent of hepatitis C patients in the world, making it the sixth largest hepatitis-infected country, said Ziauddin Hospital gastroenterology department head Dr Zaigham Abbas while speaking at the seminar, 'Prevent Hepatitis: It is up to you', on Wednesday.

The seminar, organised by Ziauddin University to mark World Hepatitis Day, was attended by students, doctors and paramedical staff.



Abbas highlighted that currently, there are 1.5million cases of hepatitis B and C in the country. "Around one hepatitis-related death happens every five minutes," he said.

Read: Disease prevention : DUHS hosts seminar on Hepatitis

Abbas believes that prevention of hepatitis through capacity building and training should be the objective, as a large number of people are getting affected by the disease. He stressed for the establishment of a hepatitis reference centre, with an installed hepatitis registry, a mobile screening system and a national hepatitis control committee to control hepatitis in Pakistan.

The doctor added that unsafe blood transfusions, reusing syringes and using unsterilised equipments were mainly the causes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. He highlighted the need to eradicate the taboo associated with hepatitis and to properly train the medical staff.

Read: Hepatitis vaccine scam: Chief secy told to preserve procurement record

Ziauddin Hospital gastroenterologist consultant Dr Muhammad Nasir Laique stressed that awareness about hepatitis was an important factor. Pakistan society for study of liver disease president Dr Saeed Hamid pointed out that around 4.25million are affected by HBV and 8.16million by HCV in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2015.